The algal species composition in Lake Þingvallavatn is under revision. New data templates with pictures of 56 phytoplankton species in the lake are published in this report, and a similar revision is planned for the epilithic diatom list that were made in 1980 and published in 1992.
Recently, there has been a collaboration between Vistir, RORUM and Ísfell, which was run by VISTUM. The project manager was Magnús Þór Bjarnason. The project was about checking whether small mussels and other disposed items cleaned of sea-cages could be used for value creation. Operations and cost-effectiveness were assessed on the potential utilization of these raw materials and the results were presented in the final report.
Vistum 2018 001 (In Icelandic)
In 20.-21. March the conference Aqua-Ice was held for the second time.
Two resercher from RORUM held lectures in the conference:
Anna Guðrún Edvardsdóttir fjallaði um: "Heildræn áhrif fiskeldis - umhverfi, efnahagur, samfélag og menning."
Eva Dögg Jóhannesdóttir fjallaði um: "Tíðni og þéttni lúsa á villtum laxfiskum á Vestfjörðum."
More can be read about Aqua-Ice and the conference here.
RORUM particapated in the proctec Ecost witch is funded by the European Union. The project is managed by IRIS and carried out in collaboration with Greig seafood, ISPRA, CNR, ISMAR and RORUM.
The proctec puplished a poster in the conference Havbruk in Oslo under the name: "Implemented ecological footprint analysis (EFA) for aquaculture: conceptual model development and case study application."
More on the project can be found here.
Our project manager in Talknafjordur, Eva Dogg Johannesdottir got a call from the Icelandic newspaper Morgunbladid for an interview. Eva is working on her master’s project these days at Holar University about lice infestation on wild salmonids in the Westfjords. Last month she gave two talks on the issue, first at an ecology conference held by the Icelandic Ecology Society and second at an Icelandic Aquaculture conference named Strandbunadur.
An increase in lice infestation on wild salmonids is well known in other countries in areas with salmonid aquaculture at sea. Lice harm the fish in various ways and have done considerable damage in salmonid aquaculture. With the industries rapid growth, it is of the upmost importance that infestation on wild salmonids is carefully monitored in areas with sea pens.
It is also important that the media shows interest in projects like these, both by taking interviews with specialist but also by conferring with them. The interview in Morgunblaðið was published in a special section called 200 miles the 6th of April.
Rorum recieved two grants from Umhverfissjóður fiskeldis (e:Aquaculture Environmental Fund). A new method to analyze the scenic impact of fish farming recieved 1.5 millions Icelandic krona. The project is headed by Adam Hoffritz and Laxar fiskeldi, a aquaculture company, is a research partner. The other project, Breakdown of organic material under aquaculture sea cages. Insight to optimizing the resting time, was granted 8 million Icelandic krona. The study is headed by Thorleifur Eiríksson and is a partnership between Rorum, University of Iceland, IRIS AS, University of Akureyri, ECOBE at the University of Antwerp and Ice Fish Farm.